After detouring with the spare, ghostly Gerroa Songs, Archer Prewitt returns to the whip-smart pop sensibilities that defined his first two LPs, upping the ante to reveal an altogether new sophistication and complexity that spur his music to unexpected heights of brilliance. Though rooted in classic pop traditions, the 14 sterling songs that comprise Three evolve and mutate to twist those traditions inside out. Each cut overflows with ideas and surprises, but while stop-on-a-dime shifts in structure and tempo are a fixture, the music is never anything less than giving and accessible, complete with a pervasive lyrical optimism and humanity that dovetails perfectly with the buoyant melodies and sun-kissed arrangements. – Jason Ankeny